


The Professor

by Hiddenkindzero



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Absent Parents, Adventure, Growing Up, Medic!Boruto, Second Coming of The Professor, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Though they try, upgraded Byakugan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:08:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29123937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hiddenkindzero/pseuds/Hiddenkindzero
Summary: Stripped of his rank, and humiliated in front of all of Konoha, Boruto "Bolt" Uzumaki struggles with his loss of confidence and finding a place for himself on his team.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	The Professor

Bolt stared up at the ceiling, shame and embarrassment keeping him in his place. It was the day after the chunin exams and he had already apologized to the other examiness. Now no longer a shinobi of Konoha- his own dad having taken his headband and stripped him of his rank in front of the  _ whole stadium _ \- Bolt just didn’t know what to do with himself. His confidence and self-esteem was shot, his sense of direction gone. Bolt wasn’t sure how long it would be until he was reinstated as a ninja again. But as Bolt reflected back on his actions and everything that had led up to this point, he was starting to think that maybe he didn’t  _ deserve  _ to be a shinobi. He had never worked hard in his life. Not like Sarada or Mitsuki or any of his genin friends who spent their days training hard and honing their skills. He had always assumed that because things had come easy for him, they would always come easy. But after the chunin exams, after fighting Shikadai and Shinki, he knew now that he just wasn’t on their level anymore.

He wondered if it was possible to change that.

He wondered if he should even try.

Turning onto his side, Bolt pressed his forehead against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut. He started taking deep breaths, both to silence his mind and to try to stop the feelings of shame and embarrassment from forming into something more.

_ Thunk Thunk Thunk _

Bolt jolted in his bed, his head immediately snapping towards his window. It took a second for him to register the black cloak that took up most of the view as Sasuke, and another of him wondering  _ why  _ Sasuke was outside his window (at night) for him to even think about answering. Of course, Sasuke was one of the most experienced Shinobi in the village and the man had no trouble wedging the edge of the sword in the cracks of the window and unlocking it himself.

“Wha-” Bolt’s brain temporarily stalled as he watched Sasuke climb into his room. “What are you doing here!”

“Is that anyway to talk to your sensei?” 

The question took Bolt off-guard. For a second, his eyes met Sasuke’s obsidian ones, and Bolt suddenly became fascinated with the floor. Red started to crawl up Bolt’s neck as he said “I didn’t think you wanted me as a student anymore after everything I did.”

“Oh?” Sasuke took a seat on Bolt’s Computer chair. “And what did you do?”

Bolt Sputtered for a second. “What did I-? I cheated! I let my team down! Sarada and Mitsuki trusted me and I lied to them!” Bolt’s voice rose a bit, but as he caught his breath he added in a much softer voice “Dad’s disappointed in me now.”

Bolt stared at the floor, feelings of inadequacy flowing through his veins.

“Is that all you're worried about?”

Bolt looked at Sasuke as if he had grown a second head. “You're not upset that I lied to you?”

“I’ve done worse. Besides, I knew you planned to cheat from the start.”

“What!” Bolt pointed his finger at Sasuke and glared “Why didn’t you say something then! You could have stopped me!”

“You needed to make the mistake for yourself. If I had stopped you, then you’d try to cheat in the future.”

“But-”

“Look at it this way. Do you plan to cheat again? In anything?”

Bolt sagged onto his bed and looked to the floor. 

“No.” He murmured.

“I wanted you to learn that there’s no shortcomings to being a good Shinobi, Bolt. If you want to be great, then you need to work hard.”

“I know that!... now.” Bolt pouted.

“Then I expect great things from you in the future.” Sasuke stood up and made to leave.

“Wait!” Bolt jumped up and grabbed onto Sasuke’s sleeve. “What do I do? I’m not allowed to do missions anymore, and I don’t know when I’ll be reinstated as a shinobi again! And how am I supposed to make it up to big bro konohamaru and Sarada and Mitsuki!?”

Sasuke pulled away from Bolt's hand and kneeled in front of him, resting his hand on Bolt’s shoulder.

“Naruto will reinstate you when he sees your serious about being a shinobi. As for making it up to your team… It’s your job as teammates to support each other and build each other up. Think of what your team's strengths are, and what you can do to cover for their weaknesses. It’s important for a team to be well rounded after all.”

Sasuke gave Bolt what could be considered an encouraging smile and started climbing out his window.

“I’m excited to see what you can come up with, Bolt. Goodnight.”

Bolt stared out the window for a bit before sighing and flopping onto his bed. He felt a little bit better, all things considering, but his thoughts were now focused on what Sasuke had said. Strengths and Weaknesses. Being well rounded. It was with a bit of self loathing that Bolt had to admit, besides a couple of useful ninjutsu’s Bolt had been able to combo with Sarada’s, Bolt didn’t offer much to the team. Sarada was a power house, with the powers of the sharingan to boot. Mitsuki was their ninjutsu specialist and a sage, and of course Konohamaru was their Jounin instructor and a force all of his own. Bolt didn’t even have his doujutsu unlocked, something even Himawari had managed.

Bolt shook his head rapidly to clear it. He should be focusing on their shortcoming as a team, not on his individual ones. Ok, what did they have? There was Power in the form of Sarada, Ninjutsus in the form of Mitsuki, and pure Awesomeness in the form of Konohamaru sensei. In that case, all they were missing was, all there was missing was… 

“Argh!” Bolt rolled around in frustration, inevitably ending up burritoed in his sheets and upside down, his head resting on the floor.

Okay, take a breath. Bolt breathed in deeply and let it out. Maybe instead of looking at all the things they had, he should look at all the things they don’t. If he was to make a list then it would be… 

Number 1! Genjutsu… nah, Sarada’s sharingan gave her an edge with that.

Number 2! Kenjutsu…Though Bolt was pretty sure Mitsuki  _ did  _ have a sword somewhere in his repertoire

In that case, Number 3!... Sealing? But there were no sealing masters in Konoha, and book learning was, well, not advised. (or in other words, lethal)

Bolt racked his brain for something else, something that could give him at least a sense of what direction to take. 

Unbidden, the image of Sarada getting thrown into the wall by Shinki rose up in his mind. She’d gotten hurt, was unable to battle anymore. Frowning, Bolt couldn’t help but think that if she had just gotten a second chance, maybe things could have been different. 

It hit Bolt like lightning. If that was all his team needed, a second chance, than what they lacked in that case would be-

Number 4! A Medic!

Bolt lifted himself into a sitting position and jumped out of his bed, his butt landing in the computer chair that had been left in the open. Half a blanket burrito, Bolt rode the force of his jump to his computer and turned the machine on, dozens of ideas of what to search and how to word it jumping into his mind. Being the team medic wouldn’t be the most flashy part of the team, but it was important. It was something that neither Sarada or Mitsuki had an interest in, and even Konohamaru would find it useful if he got hurt. More than that, It wouldn’t just make Bolt useful, it would make him  _ vital.  _ Maybe he wouldn’t be a super awesome, powerful Shinobi like Sasuke and Dad, but he’d at least be worth something. 

Bolt spent the rest of the night searching and planning on how he’d spend his time. He wouldn’t be useless anymore, wouldn’t be a disappointment to his family or friends.

At least, he hoped he wouldn’t be.


End file.
